


Twenty-Four Hours

by Rogue21



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age II
Genre: F/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-05
Updated: 2015-07-05
Packaged: 2018-04-07 20:00:30
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,547
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4276092
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rogue21/pseuds/Rogue21
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sebastian confides in Grand Cleric Elthina about his feelings for Hawke and she grants him a period of twenty-four hours free from his vows to find out what he truly wants.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Twenty-Four Hours

**Author's Note:**

> I might have accidentally published the unformatted version which still needed work, but this is the proper formatted version.

The doors of the Chantry opened as Sebastian, Hawke, Fenris, and Isabela all walked in celebrating the defeat of a group of Slavers on the Wounded Coast. Grand Cleric Elthina sighed at Sebastian’s bloody armour that was dripping all over the floor of the Chantry, another mess for the Tranquil to clean up after the disaster with the fanatics.

“That was incredible, did you see the way Hawke killed that magister,” Sebastian said wiping a smear of blood from his face after a Slaver got too close.

“It’s one thing to take down a Magister with a sword or a dagger, but Hawke being the beautiful and dangerous woman she is, did it in a very impressive way,” Fenris replied.

“Magisters see a Mage and think we’re easy to take down because we don’t use blood magic, but they never expect you to leap up behind them and crush their head between your thighs, I owe you one Isabela,” Hawke told them.

“You owe me more than one, but there’s nothing like a day’s work killing Slavers, now who’s up for an evening at the Hangman, Varric and Merrill will be waiting,” Isabela suggested.

“Yes please,” Hawke agreed, she needed something strong after the day she’d had.

“You know me, I never miss a game of Wicked Grace,” Fenris said. Isabela laughed and looked at Sebastian.

“What about you Chantry boy, are you joining us or does the Maker frown upon beautiful people gambling for money?” she asked.

“You flatter me Isabela but I think I’ll stay here, I need to do some thinking,” he said.

“I could do with mulling over a thought or two myself, I’ll catch up with you guys at the Hanged Man and Isabela order me the strongest drink they have,” Hawke said, she could sense something was on Sebastian’s mind and she was going to find out what. Isabela shrugged and she and Fenris left the Chantry to go to Lowtown. Hawke followed Sebastian up the steps of the Chantry to a quiet place where they could talk.

“Are you okay Sebastian, you seem distracted?” she asked him.

“I’m fine, really I just…have a few things on my mind that’s all,” he replied avoiding her gaze.

“Is this about Starkhaven?”

“No, I’m not worried about Starkhaven, it’s just…it’s nothing to worry about Hawke, you go to the Hanged Man. I’ll be fine.” Hawke gave Sebastian a puzzled look and left the Chantry. Sebastian watched her walk away and sighed, he couldn’t tell her.

 

A little while after Hawke had left, Sebastian walked down to Grand Cleric Elthina’s office and knocked on the door.

“Enter,” the Grand Cleric answered from the other side. He opened the door to see Elthina sitting at her desk reading some letters from the Chantry in Val Royeaux. “Sebastian, what can I do for you?”

“Grand Cleric, I was hoping I could discuss something with you, something personal,” he said nervously. Elthina looked at him and gestured him to the empty chair opposite her desk.

“What troubles you?” she asked kindly.

“It concerns…Hawke, Grand Cleric,” he told her sitting down in the chair. Elthina leaned back in her chair intrigued by the subject.

“What is it about Hawke that concerns you?”

“It’s complicated to talk about but…lately, every time when I have gone with her to the Wounded Coast or Sundermount or even Lowtown, I find myself thinking about her and it seems to be happening even when she’s not around, I know the Maker wouldn’t approve of such thoughts in my head, they’re not exactly clean, I even had a dream about her and when I woke up I was spooning my pillow.” Elthina chuckled at Sebastian’s confession and stood up from her desk.

“Sebastian can’t you see it, you’re falling for her. You don’t need Andraste to answer that for you.”

“I know I have feelings for her Grand Cleric and I thought they would go away, I’ve seen how Anders and Fenris look at her, and they fight for her affections. Anders with his compliments and Fenris with his telling her how she’s beautiful and dangerous,” Sebastian explained. He knew he had feelings for her much like they did, but he couldn’t compete with a Tevinter Elf and a Grey Warden. “I’m no match for them, they’ve done exciting things, fought Darkspawn, and Slavers, and they’ve known Hawke longer than I have.”

“You’re a Prince, driven to exile from your home,” Elthina reminded him.

“But I’m a brother of the Chantry as well, what’s more appealing to a woman like Hawke, a Chantry brother bound by holy vows or a Tevinter Slave who can glow blue?”

“Glow blue?” Elthina asked puzzled.

“Fenris has lyrium markings fused into his skin.”

“Sounds like a curse rather than something to envy Sebastian, but answer me this, do you feel you love Hawke?” Elthina asked as she went to the bookshelf and pulled out a book with the chantry symbol on.

“I…I don’t really know, she’s beautiful, she’s intelligent and when she fights…she’s this force of nature that’ll tear you apart, she crushed a Magister’s head between her thighs.”

“Sebastian, remember when I told you to not be so…fickle with your decisions, well it looks like passion has gripped you again but it’s not vengeance this time, it's love,” Elthina said. Sebastian looked up confused, that couldn’t be the answer.

“But what can I do about it, I am bound by Chantry vows, there’s no way I can just go up to her and…you know.” Elthina rolled her eyes as she read a passage in the book.

“Tell her how you feel, Sebastian I was not born yesterday, while the Chantry teaches that to make love is not in most holy’s interest, the Maker did not give us this as a means to teach temptation, the Maker gave it as a way for two lovers to connect in possibly the most intimate way there is.”

“It’s strange to hear this from you Grand Cleric, you were preaching about abstinence just yesterday,” Sebastian pointed out. Elthina closed the book, her past was not one for the Chantry to know.

“I wasn’t always so pure Sebastian, we all have a past,” she said putting the book back. She went back to the desk and gestured for him to stand up. “Give me your Chantry Amulet.” Sebastian clutched at the amulet wondering why she was demanding it.

“Why Grand Cleric?”

“I am releasing you from your vows, but only for twenty-four hours, when midnight comes you will not be bound by the vows of the Chantry, you will use this time to figure out your feelings for Hawke, it also grants you permission to do what is forbidden without the burden of guilt,” she told him. Sebastian, reluctantly, removed his chantry amulet and gave it to her. As soon as it left his hand he felt a weight lifted off his chest, and he wondered if this was the Maker giving him an opportunity.

“Perhaps the Maker did hear me,” he said leaving Elthina holding the amulet.

“He did hear you and I pray you do what feels right.”

 

When midnight struck, Sebastian left the Chantry and walked down into Hightown, down to Hawke’s estate where he saw Isabela, Fenris, Hawke and Varric watching a drunk Anders trying to walk in a straight line across the large stone flower beds.

“Are you jealous Fenris, that I, a sexy dangerous mage, have more balance than you,” Anders boldly proclaimed before falling sideways off the wall. Isabela roared with laughter as Anders lay laughing on the ground.

“So much for a sexy dangerous mage with balance, now watch a professional in action,” he said walking over to the wall. He climbed on and then proceeded to do a handstand and walk across with his hands.

“Now that’s balance with a view,” Isabela commented. Sebastian walked over, he felt a little more confident without the amulet around his neck.

“Why look everyone it’s the Chantry boy,” Varric said in a sarcastic tone.

“You know the Chantry would be a lot more fun if the Grand Cleric did handstands,” Sebastian said.

“I would pay to see that, but I think it’s time we left, let’s go Varric,” Isabela said picking up the dwarf like a barrel and throwing him over her shoulder.

“What about Blondie?” Varric asked as he looked down at the Mage who was still laughing.

“Let’s go Anders, now!” Isabela commanded. Anders slowly got to his feet and gave Sebastian a flirtatious look.

“If you weren’t bound by the Chantry, I would eat you alive,” he said as he staggered off to follow Isabela.

“He said the same thing to me…sort of, only he used the words ‘Tevinter bastard’,” Fenris said before he walked off back to the Hightown Estates. Sebastian looked at Hawke who was leaning against the wall.

“Well you weren’t here to preach, so why are you here so late at night?” she asked him. Sebastian nervously ran his hand through his hair.

“I spoke with the Grand Cleric after you left, she gave me some good advice and…she released me from my vows for twenty-four hours,” he told her. Hawke was surprised the Chantry could even do that.

“How did you manage that?”

“She convinced me that I needed to figure things out without the burden of guilt or sin over my head, which gives me freedom to tell you that…,” Sebastian paused. Was this the right moment to do it?

“Tell me what,” Hawke said waiting on his next words.

“Words are useless,” he said finally, pushing Hawke against the wall of the estate and kissing her. Hawke relaxed herself and kissed him back moving her arms around his neck and pulling him closer to her. When they stopped, they were a little breathless.

“Words really were useless,” Hawke said pushing her hair out of her face.

“You have no idea how good that felt, to kiss you like that without a vow of chastity around my neck,” Sebastian told her.

“I could tell, but is that why you’ve been so eager to come on jobs with me recently?” Hawke asked. He nodded as a reply.

“Yes, I didn’t know if anyone would wonder why I wanted to spend time with you, Varric might have caught on, after all you and him are thick as thieves.”

“Well he is my best friend and moral compass, but he’d approve of you more so than Anders or Fenris,” Hawke said. Sebastian’s heart sank at the mention of Anders and Fenris, the two more interesting companions.

“Oh yeah Anders and Fenris, what about them, they always seem to fight over you,” Sebastian said wanting to know the answer.

“They’re both obsessed with trying to one up the other, if not through me then through who has the most man-pain, they’ll burst into a duet any day now, but you don’t need to try to earn my affection,” Hawke told him. Sebastian smiled at her, he was glad at that answer and pushed a strand of hair from her face.

“I’m glad you feel that way, but I have twenty-four hours to figure all this out, think you could help me?” he asked. Hawke smiled and opened the door to her estate.

“Follow me.”

 

When dawn rose over Kirkwall, light streamed in through the curtains into Hawke’s room. In the bed Sebastian had his arms wrapped tightly around her, he was awake but his eyes were still closed, afraid that if he opened them he’d be back in the Chantry cuddling his pillow again. He opened one eye and examined Hawke’s bedroom, it was still there and her naked body was still next to him, and his armour was scattered across the floor. He sighed with relief of the reality and slowly let go of her to lie back. It had been real, it had happened, he had gone into her house, stripped off her clothes, and spent a wild and passionate night with her, and there was no guilt on his shoulders. Perhaps this was what he wanted, what the Maker would allow him to have.

Hawke woke up and yawned, she rolled over and smiled at Sebastian.

“Remind me to give Grand Cleric Elthina my thanks.”

“I will, this was the best thing to happen to me, I’d do it again if I could,” Sebastian told her. Hawke climbed on him and kissed him softly.

“Well we have all day and I didn’t have anything planned, there’s no rumoured slavers about, no apostates running wild, the Bone Pit’s Dragon-free, and Knight-Commander Meredith has been relatively quiet recently, which leaves…well this activity,” she said. Sebastian laughed a little and kissed her sitting up and letting her straddle his waist.

“Alright then Hawke, but when we’re done I want to take you somewhere, somewhere secret,” he told her.

“I like secrets, what kind of secret is this?” she asked before kissing him again.

“A secret place called the Ivory Grove. It’s quiet, and remote,” he replied.

“Alright Sebastian, I’ll come to this Ivory Grove, but after I come,” Hawke said. Sebastian kissed her and pulled her close to him feeling every bit of her body against him.

“Oh I’ll make you come,” he muttered against her lips.

 

When they were finished and dressed, Sebastian and Hawke headed out to the Ivory Grove, it was in a place called the Greenscale Forest, a bright green forest that seemed to make the Free Marches more fantastical than it was. They made their way through towards the Ivory Grove, taking note of how quiet the forest was.

“It shouldn’t be far, but be wary there may be creatures that will try to attack us,” Sebastian warned Hawke. She drew her stave and readied some cold magic just in case. Sebastian drew his bow and an arrow, ready for anything that could surprise them. But the journey was a quiet one, the creatures of the forest were peaceful and content.

Finally Sebastian found the cave that lead to the Ivory Grove, the only light in the cave were the deep mushrooms that glowed softly. Hawke watched Sebastian walk on ahead of her, she wondered why he had decided to take her here and why he only had twenty-four hours of freedom from the Chantry vows. But she also wondered if he would keep to his vows when the time was up, was this a momentary fling of freedom he had taken and when it was over he would go back to being chaste? She pushed the thought away, all that mattered was that he was free from the vows now.

“We’re here,” Sebastian called to her. Hawke followed Sebastian out of the cave and was surprised at what she saw.

“It’s beautiful,” she said. Sebastian walked into the grove the sunlight pouring in making the place shine.

“I found it when I was hunting one afternoon, I needed a break from the Chantry and a chance to practice my archery, I kept wandering and I found this place, I ended up staying here for three days before I returned to the Chantry, nobody except the Grand Cleric even knew I was gone, but I’ve never had a chance to return until now…with you.”

“Why did you bring me here?” Hawke asked still amazed by the beauty of the Grove, the ivory trees, the emerald leaves and the small pool in the centre. She walked to it, crouched down and took off her glove. She dipped her hand into the cool water, the curious fish swimming around her fingers, and the ripples spreading.

“This might be my only chance to show you this place, I still don’t know if I should stay true to my vows or give them up forever, either way I wanted you to see what I consider a true creation of the Maker,” Sebastian replied. He sat down beside Hawke as she marvelled at the water.

“I believe you Sebastian, I’m glad you brought me here but…what if you do decide to keep your vows?” she asked concerned.

“If I decide to keep my vows, what happened between us could never happen again, we could be together but it would be chaste, pure…and honestly a bit boring really, but I don’t want to think about it, I just want to be with you until I have to go back,” he told her. Hawke kissed Sebastian softly.

“Then have me,” she whispered.

 

They spent the entire day in the Grove, talking, making love, and enjoying each other’s company. Hawke talked about her past in Lothering, how she and Bethany were never part of the Circle and were well trained by their father, how Flemeth saved them, and how Hawke came to meet everyone. Sebastian was enchanted by her and her magic, she showed him how she used her magic to grow things, how to use spirit and nature magic to manipulate nature for the better. But soon the sun began to set and they had to return to Kirkwall.

“I guess we should leave, night will be upon us by the time we reach Hightown,” Sebastian said. Hawke knew it couldn’t last forever and that they had to return to Kirkwall, it broke her heart a little that this might never happen again.

 

They walked back to Kirkwall, and it was late evening when they reached Lowtown, Hawke decided she was going to go to the Hanged Man to meet everyone and meet Sebastian when he reached his decision.

“I guess I’ll see you later,” she said giving Sebastian one last lingering kiss before he left for Hightown. She walked into the Hanged Man to see Merrill, Isabela, Varric, Anders, and Fenris sitting in the corner playing Wicked Grace.

“And I win again,” Varric said collecting his winnings. Isabela saw Hawke walk over to them and noticed she seemed sad.

“Are you okay Hawke, we haven’t seen you all day,” she asked concerned for her friend.

“I’m good, I was spending the day with Sebastian,” Hawke replied as Fenris pushed back a chair for her.

“Praying, I bet,” Anders commented with a smirk.

“Actually no, we went to the Greenscale Forest and…we spent the day together,” Hawke said with a bold tone sitting down beside Fenris.

“Is that a love bite on your neck, Hawke did you corrupt the Chantry boy?” Isabela asked her with a joking manner.

“No, Sebastian came to see me last night because Elthina granted him twenty-four hours free from his Chantry vows and…well it turns out Sebastian had been hiding deep feelings for me and we ended up sleeping together…more than once, honestly you wouldn’t have thought he was devoted to the Chantry after what he did with me, we did the um…he called it the Starkhaven Straddle,” Hawke explained.

“The Starkhaven Straddle, how does he know that position?” Isabela asked surprised by this information.

“I knew he had a thing for you, remember the time you brought him to the Docks and you got stuck bending over that railing to get that bag of silver, he couldn’t keep his eyes off your ass,” Varric said.

“To be fair, it was a nice view,” Fenris commented.

“Fenris don’t be so dirty,” Merrill said shocked by his comment. Isabela laughed at her offense and turned to Hawke.

“So where is Chantry boy now?” Varric asked.

“He’s gone back to the Chantry to speak with the Grand Cleric, honestly I’m worried this was a onetime thing.”

“Darling, the man got a day of freedom and the first thing he did when he got that freedom was shag you, I doubt he’s going to go back to his vows after that, you know the saying Hawke, taste the honey of the woman and you’ll always come back for more of her sweetness,” Isabela told her. It was comforting in Isabela’s own strange way.

“I have never heard of that saying, you just made that up,” Anders said confused by her statement.

“I think it’s romantic that he would give up his vows for you Hawke, and I’m sure the Maker would understand. In my culture the Creators never talked about purity, they believed love was a natural as the trees and the wind, something that shouldn’t be locked away by people, but embraced and shared,” Merrill said.

“A lot of non-elves believe that too Daisy, why do you think the Blooming Rose exists,” Varric told her. Hawke ordered over a drink and decided to join in on the Wicked Grace game.

“Hawke, he would be a fool to go back to the Chantry,” Fenris said.

“Fenris, we don’t even know if he will go back, what if he decides to give his vows up,” Anders said. Hawke chuckled at the two of them.

“It’s nice that you two look out for me, now, four silvers to start,” she replied throwing the coins on the table.

 

As midnight approached, Sebastian paced his room with nerves, he knew the answer he was going to give the Grand Cleric but he was worried if she or the Maker would approve. A knock on the door caught his attention and he saw it was one of the sisters.

“The Grand Cleric will see you now,” she said. Sebastian followed her to the Grand Cleric’s office, he hoped she would accept his decision.

“Brother Sebastian is here to see you Grand Cleric,” the sister said before leaving.

“Well your time is up, I do not wish to know what you did, but I hope it gave you time to think about if this is really what you want,” Elthina said to him. Sebastian nodded and Elthina presented his Chantry amulet.

“I love her Grand Cleric, and after the day we spent together, I want to be with her, I know my actions might not be approved of by the Chantry but the Maker had a reason for me to do this,” he said pushing her hand away.

“And what reason would that be?” Elthina asked.

“Vengeance won’t bring my family back, hiding in the Chantry won’t hide that I am the Prince of Starkhaven, Hawke brought justice to my family and told me that I didn’t need to be a Prince, she allowed me to be myself and who I am is someone who worships the Maker but cannot be bound by his vows forever, and if I can’t be with her in the way that I was today, then I’d rather die,” Sebastian told her. Elthina smiled and placed the amulet on her desk.

“I knew you would do the right thing Sebastian, when I was your age I too was in love, I was in love with a man who would have moved the stars for me, but I chose the Chantry over him and I lost him forever. I’m glad to see that you didn’t make the mistake I did, and while I have found a life in the Chantry as the Grand Cleric that I am comfortable with, I do wonder what could have happened if I had chosen to be with him,” she said to Sebastian as she placed the amulet on the table.

“You were in this position once Grand Cleric?” he asked confused.

“Yes, which is why I gave you those twenty-four hours, I wanted to make sure you knew what you wanted, I never got that chance and I can see that I made the right choice. Sebastian, you are no longer bound to the vows of the Chantry, you are a free man,” Elthina replied. Sebastian bowed his head in respect to Elthina.

“Who was this man you were in love with?” he asked.

“No one special, just an Elf,” she replied. Sebastian left her office and Elthina opened her desk drawer and took out an old love letter addressed to her from First Enchanter Orsino.

 

In the estate, Hawke sat on the balcony with Fenris listening to Orana play a song she had written.

“Wonderful, you really have helped Orana since we rescued her from Hadriana,” Fenris said.

“She’s wonderful, she helps mother clean, has learned to cook and plays beautiful music, but with the unrest between the Templars and the Mages I do worry for her safety.”

“I am thankful for your hospitality mistress,” Orana said as she finished the song.

“You play beautifully, you could become a real bard given the right training,” Hawke said.

“Really, bards are amazing people mistress, they play music and they get to be spies. Back in Tevinter there were bards that would play for Hadriana and I would observe them and one of them told me, that to be a good bard you have to learn to be invisible, papa taught me that valuable skill,” Orana said. Fenris knew that Orana had some left over grief from her father’s death at the hands of that mage, he could tell in her voice.

“Orana, I have a contact in Val Royeaux who knows someone at the Bards College, if I write them a letter, I might be able to get you a place there, you can learn to be a bard, you would be safer in Orlais than here,” Hawke told her.

“An excellent suggestion Hawke,” Fenris agreed. Orana bowed her head and left to go find Leandra. Fenris stood up to leave and saw Sebastian walking to the estate.

“It’s late and I should get going, but it seems Sebastian is on his way here, I hope you get the answer you want,” he said before leaving. Hawke walked down to the front door with Fenris.

“Let me know if Orana gets into the college, it would be good for her,” he said. Hawke nodded and he left. Sebastian passed Fenris and gave him a gracious nod before seeing Hawke and smiling at the knowledge that he could be with her.

“I spoke to the Grand Cleric,” he said.

“And?”

“I’m a free man Hawke, I told her that I would rather die than not be with you, she was surprisingly accepting of my decision, but there was a reason behind her approval. She was just like me once, torn between love and Andraste, she didn’t say who with though,” he told her. Hawke smiled with relief and hugged Sebastian tightly.

“I’m so glad, but you’re no longer a Brother of the Chantry now,” she said.

“Nor am I a Prince of Starkhaven, I am simply Sebastian Vael now,” he told her. Hawke kissed him softly, that was all she wanted in the end, just Sebastian.

 

When the morning came, Sebastian and Hawke left the estate to be greeted by Merrill, Varric, Anders and Isabela.

“I had to know, and I couldn’t wait until the Hanged Man, but look at you two, so perfect,” Merrill said giddy with excitement as she looked at the two of them.

“She got so excited at the thought of you two and asked if I would put this in my next book.” Varric said.

“And will you?” Hawke asked.

“That’s between me and Bianca.”


End file.
